The weight of countless stares bore down on Belle as she followed the guildmaster toward his office. The main hall of the guild had erupted in disbelief after the discovery of the Direfang Wolf's corpse. The air buzzed with speculation.
"No way. A Direfang Wolf? Even a D-Rank team would struggle with its speed."
"She must've had help. Or maybe the corpse was already half-dead when she found it?"
A grizzled adventurer scoffed, shaking his head. "That thing's hide is tough as steel. Even if it was wounded, a rookie wouldn't have the strength to finish it alone."
The answer?
A single girl on her first mission.
Kai, of course, had been having the time of his life, watching the chaos unfold.
"Good luck, rookie," he teased, leaning against the wall with a lazy grin. "Try not to scare the guildmaster too much."
Belle shot him an ice-cold glare before disappearing down the hallway.
The office was spacious yet simple, lined with bookshelves filled with thick tomes and old maps. A large wooden desk sat near the back, cluttered with documents and a worn-out greatsword propped against the side.
Garrick Voss—the guildmaster of Dawnstead Adventurer's Guild—strode inside first, the weight of his presence filling the room.
His weathered features bore the scars of past battles, and his golden-brown eyes carried the weight of experience. Though his short, graying hair hinted at age, his broad frame and steady posture exuded unwavering strength, like a lion surveying its den.
Belle and Alina followed, the door shutting behind them with a soft thud.
Garrick didn't sit immediately. Instead, he walked over to the desk, picked up a few documents, and tossed them aside with a grunt.
Only then did he lower himself into his chair, his gaze locking onto Belle with quiet intensity.
For a long moment, he said nothing.
Then, finally, he spoke.
"So, you're the one who caused the commotion in the guild hall." His voice was steady. "The one who slayed the Direfang Wolf."
Belle straightened, meeting his gaze. "I guess."
Garrick nodded, motioning for her to sit.
Alina remained standing, arms crossed, while Belle took a seat across from him.
Garrick leaned forward, resting his arms on the desk.
"I'll be honest with you," he began. "You're either the most talented F-Rank adventurer I've ever seen… or you're hiding something."
Belle said nothing.
She wasn't about to blurt out that she had draconic abilities, nor did she plan to explain why the fight had been so effortless.
Garrick smirked slightly. "Don't worry, I'm not here to pry. Every adventurer has their secrets."
Then, he fixed her with a curious gaze.
"What I do need to know is how someone like you ended up here."
Belle tilted her head slightly. "Here as in… Dawnstead?"
"As in Eldoria," Garrick corrected. "You are from Eldoria, aren't you?"
Belle froze.
Just half a second—barely noticeable. But Garrick had seen countless warriors lie before.
Eldoria.
The name settled in her mind like a puzzle piece snapping into place. It confirmed what she already suspected—this wasn't Earth. It never was. But hearing it aloud made the distance between her past and present feel even greater.
Still, she didn't let her expression change.
She met his gaze evenly. "I… grew up far from here."
Not a lie. But not the truth, either.
Garrick observed her for a long moment but didn't press further. "I see."
He leaned forward, resting his elbows on the desk as he intertwined his fingers. "Before we move on to your rank assessment, there's something you need to understand—especially if you plan to continue as an adventurer."
Belle nodded, keeping her expression neutral but listening intently.
"This world runs on mana," he began. "Mana is the life energy that flows through every living being, the land itself, and even the air we breathe. Without it, magic wouldn't exist, and neither would civilization as we know it."
His gaze sharpened. "But mana alone isn't enough. You need an elemental affinity to wield it properly."
Garrick extended a hand over his desk. The wooden surface trembled as a small pillar of stone pushed its way through, cracks forming as the earth obeyed his command. With a simple motion, he clenched his fist, and the rock shattered into dust before sinking back into the surface.
"There are six primary elemental affinities," he continued, brushing dust from his fingertips. "Each with its own strengths and weaknesses."
🔥 Fire – Raw power and destruction. It's favored for combat but consumes mana at an alarming rate. Without control, it burns the caster just as easily as it does the enemy.
💧 Water – Versatile and adaptable. It can heal, defend, and attack, but lacks immediate impact compared to other elements. Mastery requires fluidity, both in magic and in mindset.
🌿 Earth – Strength and resilience. It enhances the body, fortifies defenses, and manipulates terrain. However, it lacks range and mobility, making it ill-suited for speed-based combat.
💨 Wind – The element of agility. It grants unparalleled speed and precision, capable of slicing through armor or enhancing movement. However, it lacks direct stopping power.
⚡ Lightning – Unstable and lethal. Lightning magic is the fastest and hardest to control, making it both devastating and dangerous to the wielder.
❄ Ice – A balance of offense and defense. Ice magic excels in control, restricting enemies and battlefield movement, but requires significant mana upkeep.
Garrick dusted off his hands, as if he had never moved the stone at all. "There are also rare sub-elements—abilities that don't fall into the six primary categories."
His golden-brown eyes sharpened. "Light, Dark, and even Blood Magic exist, but they're uncommon. Some scholars believe they aren't true elements but rather mutations of mana itself."
Belle took in the information, comparing it to what she had already experienced. She could wield fire and lightning—but what about the third element that the crystal ball had revealed earlier?
Before she could ask, Garrick's gaze hardened slightly. "Most people are born with a single elemental affinity. Through intense training, a select few—usually high-ranking mages—might awaken a second. But a third?" He shook his head. "That's the stuff of myths and legends."
Belle's mind raced with the new information. If most people could only wield one or, at best, two elements, then how had she awakened a third?
Before she could dwell on it, Garrick continued. "It's one thing to know your element. It's another to wield it effectively. Even the strongest affinity is useless without proper training."
He leaned back, arms crossed. "There are three key aspects to mastering an element: Mana Control, Elemental Synchronization, and Application."
Belle raised an eyebrow. "Elemental Synchronization?"
Mana Control – The Foundation
🔥 "Mana is like an untamed river," Garrick explained. "Control determines whether you can direct it into a focused stream or let it flood uncontrollably."
Beginners struggle with excess mana consumption. Without refined control, even a simple fireball drains their reserves quickly.Intermediate users learn to regulate their output, casting efficiently with minimal waste.Masters can shape mana instinctively, manipulating their element without conscious effort.
"Mana control isn't exclusive to mages either," he added. "Even warriors and archers reinforce their bodies or weapons using mana. That's why physical fighters can keep up with magic users."
Belle silently noted how Kai's sword techniques were enhanced with fire.
Elemental Synchronization – The Bond Between Mana & Magic
🌿 "Each element has a unique temperament," Garrick continued. "And to wield it effectively, you must attune yourself to its nature."
Fire users must embrace both passion and restraint—it burns wildly if left unchecked.Water users must flow with adaptability, shifting between attack and defense.Earth users require patience and endurance, wielding strength at the right moment.Wind users must think in movement, never stagnant, always in motion.Lightning users must sharpen their instincts, reacting before thought.Ice users must control and conserve energy, using precision over brute force.
Garrick exhaled. "Elemental synchronization is why two people with the same affinity can have vastly different levels of mastery. It's not just about talent—it's about understanding."
Belle absorbed the explanation. If that were true, then did her draconic abilities have their own nature?
Application – Turning Affinity into Combat Power
⚔ "The final step is applying that power."
Garrick gestured to the window, where adventurers sparred in the training yard. "Magic alone isn't enough. You need experience—real battle, real combat."
Mages train by shaping their element into weapons, barriers, or attacks.Fighters reinforce their bodies, weapons, or movements with their affinity.Archers sharpen their arrows with elemental enhancements.
"That's why adventurers go on quests. Books and training halls can only take you so far."
Belle frowned. That meant her real training had already begun the moment she stepped into Eldoria.
Garrick studied her reaction before adding, "You'll find your own way. Just don't get yourself killed before then."
Belle's mind swirled with questions as she processed Garrick's explanation. If Mana Control determined efficiency, Elemental Synchronization dictated mastery, and Application turned it into combat effectiveness—where did combining different elements fall?
She crossed her arms, choosing her words carefully. "What about using two elements together? Does that fall under Synchronization or Application?"
Garrick's expression shifted. His brows furrowed slightly, as if she had asked something completely out of left field. A silence stretched between them before he finally spoke.
"Combining two elements…?"
Belle nodded. "For example, mixing fire and lightning. Would that be considered advanced Application, or does it require a different type of training?"
Alina, who had been quietly observing, tilted her head slightly. Even she seemed intrigued by the question.
Garrick let out a low chuckle, shaking his head. "You ask some strange things, kid." He leaned forward, lacing his fingers together. "Let me tell you something—people don't 'combine' elements. At least, not in the way you're thinking."
Belle blinked. "Why not?"
Garrick exhaled, choosing his words. "For one, wielding two affinities is already rare. Most people barely master one in their lifetime. Those with dual affinities can usually only use them separately. Fire today, lightning tomorrow. Not both at once."
He rested his elbow on the desk. "But the real reason? No one has ever figured out how to fuse different elements."
Belle frowned slightly. "Not even high-ranking mages?"
Garrick smirked. "If they did, you'd already know their names as living legends."
He picked up a quill from his desk, spinning it between his fingers. "It's not that people haven't tried. Many scholars have speculated about it. But no one has ever successfully merged two separate elements into something new."
Belle stayed silent, contemplating.
No one has done it?
She thought back to her own abilities. The moment she used magic, it felt… natural. Fire and lightning didn't feel like separate forces to her—they flowed as one.
And yet, the way Garrick spoke, it was unheard of.
Garrick observed her carefully. "…Why do you ask?"
Belle shrugged slightly, feigning casual curiosity. "Just a thought."
Garrick narrowed his eyes at her for a moment, then leaned back in his chair. "Hmph. If you somehow figure it out, you might just revolutionize magic itself."
Alina, arms crossed, finally spoke up. "It's an interesting theory, but it's impractical. Magic isn't something you mix like potions. The nature of each element is different."
Belle nodded along, but inwardly, she wasn't convinced. She had already succeeded in combining fire and lightning magic while she was surviving in the forest. But she knew that she had to keep this secret to herself. At least for now.
If nobody had ever successfully merged two elements, then maybe they just hadn't figured out how yet.
Garrick continued, his expression darkening. "However, not all energy in this world is safe. There's another force—one that stands in direct opposition to mana. We call it miasma."
Belle's fingers tensed.
She had felt it before—the strange, suffocating energy that blanketed the Forbidden Forest.
"Miasma is a corrupted energy," Garrick explained. "Where mana sustains life, miasma devours and warps it. The land itself becomes tainted, and creatures that dwell within its influence are twisted into something unnatural."
Alina crossed her arms. "Even in small amounts, miasma is dangerous. Low exposure makes creatures more aggressive, heightens their senses, and dulls their pain. But prolonged exposure? That's when things start mutating."
Belle frowned. "Mutating?"
Garrick nodded. "Size, strength, durability—even their instincts shift. They become more vicious, attacking anything on sight. And once a creature has been corrupted… there's no turning back."
Belle's thoughts flashed to the Direfang Wolf she had fought. Its unnatural hostility. Its resilience.
"Does that mean the Direfang Wolf…" she started.
"It's very likely," Garrick confirmed. "Direfangs are already dangerous, but if that one was miasma-touched, it would explain why it fought harder than normal."
Alina added, "And the biggest source of miasma in Eldoria is the Forbidden Forest."
Belle's heart pounded.
"The Forbidden Forest?" she echoed.
Garrick's expression grew even graver. "It's an uncharted, cursed land. The miasma there is so thick that no human can survive for long. It's why no one ventures deep inside—those who do either never return… or come back changed."
"Changed?" Belle asked carefully.
Alina's voice was quiet. "There are stories… of knights who wandered in and came back differently. Their eyes dull, their minds fractured, their bodies—" She stopped herself, shaking her head. "That's why we don't go near it."
Garrick leaned forward. "Miasma spreads. Slowly, but it spreads. Old ruins, forgotten battlefields—if a place was saturated with it for too long, the land never recovers." His gaze hardened. "If creatures are starting to leave the Forbidden Forest, it means one of two things: the miasma is spreading… or something is driving them out."
Belle kept her expression neutral, but her mind raced.
This confirmed it.
She had walked through that forest. She had breathed its air, fought within its depths, and spent days surrounded by miasma.
Yet, she felt nothing.
Her body had not weakened. Her mind had not fractured.
She was immune. And she had to make sure no one ever found out.
Belle took a deep breath, absorbing everything.
Garrick leaned back, watching her with a knowing smirk before sliding a document across the desk. "But for now, let's focus on you."
She glanced down. The parchment bore the official guild seal, a deep crimson wax stamp pressed into the corner. Her eyes widened as she scanned the words.
"Effective immediately, you are hereby promoted to D-Rank."
Belle blinked. "Wait… already?"
Alina smirked, arms crossed. "You took down a Direfang Wolf alone. Even if you don't want to admit it, that's far beyond an F-Rank feat."
Belle exhaled sharply, dragging a hand through her hair. "Kai's going to be unbearable about this…"
Garrick let out a low chuckle. "He's not the only one. The guild hall is going to be buzzing the second this gets out." His tone turned more serious. "But don't let it get to your head. D-Rank doesn't just mean stronger missions—it means we're placing trust in you. Trust that you can handle tougher enemies, bigger risks… and the consequences that come with them."
Belle's grip tightened on the document.
Trust, huh?
That was a dangerous thing to give someone like her.
Alina placed something in Belle's hand—her updated guild card. It was the same size and design, but now, the insignia had shifted. The once dull F had been replaced with a sleek, engraved D.
"Welcome to D-Rank," Alina said with a teasing lilt. "Try not to get promoted again before we even have a proper team formed."
Belle exhaled, flipping the card between her fingers before slipping it into her pouch.
One step forward.
One step closer to uncovering the truth about this world—and herself.
As she stepped out of the guildmaster's office, the murmur of adventurers outside grew louder. She could already feel their gazes turning toward her.
Some were curious. Some were impressed.
And some… suspicious.
Bracing herself, Belle took the next step into whatever awaited her.
End of Chapter 14